Rail-joint.



PATENTBD JAN. 1,1907. J. BEAVER.

RAIL JOINT.

"APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20,1906.

attomeq IR! co., wnnmmu, n. c.

' integrally with a base-plate 5, forming a seat To all whom it may concern:

' ing parts which are liable to wor UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

JOHN BEAVER, OF WARWICK, OHIO.

RAIL-JOINT.

No. 840,424. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 20,1906. Serial No. 307,080.

latented J an. 1, 1907.

I longitudinal movement. The openings 14 Be it known that I, J OHN E. BEAVER, a are preferably sufficiently elongated to allow citizen of the United States, residing at War- 1 expansion and contraction of the rail to the wick, in the county of Summit and State of I necessary extent without permitting undue Ohio, have invented certain new and useful shifting of the parts. The plate 3 is arranged Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the to bear against the adjacent side of the rail, following is a specification. while the plate 4 is spaced from the opposite This invention relates to improvements in side of the rail for the introduction between rail-joints or fastenings for connecting the i the same and the rail of a locking-key 15, conmeeting ends of rails, the object of the invenforming in shape with said plate 4, the outer tion being to provide a simple and ineXpenface of the key and inner face of the portion 6 sive construction of joint which obviates the of the plate 4 being tapered or inclined to use of bolts and similar fastenin s embodysecure a wedging action when the key is inloose and serted to cause the rails to be securely clamped between the opposing plate 3 and key. The key is adapted to be inserted and withdrawn by longitudinal sliding movement at the enlarged end of the space or passage and is formed at one end with a head 16 to receive blows from a hammer or other tool, whereby it may be driven into position and dislodged when it is desired to disconnect the rails Also formed upon the key and extending longitudinally from the head is a lockingplate 17, adapted, when the key is applied, to seat within the slots 10 and 11. The plate 17 is provided with one or more rows of openings 18, spaced a different distance apart to re ceive a split pin 19, adapted to abut against the head 9 of the member 4 and hold the key from outward movement.

It will be understood that the ends of the rails are inserted in position between the plates 3 and 4 and engaged with the projections 13, after which the wedge-key is inserted and locked in position, thereby securely connecting the parts. This construction results in the production of a joint-fastening which will securely hold the rails connected without the use of fastenings, such as bolts and the like, embodying parts which are liable to work loose. The construction furthermore permits the rails to be conveniently disconnected when occasion requires.

It will be observed that the rails are of the usual commercial or standard construction and that my improved joint-fastening may be employed in connection with such rails without varying the construction thereof in any particular.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed as new is- A rail-chair comprising a base, opposite allow the rails to spread.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a'perspective view of the device as employed for connecting the meeting ends of rails. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate the meeting ends of adjoining rails connected by my improved boltless fastening, the latter comprising opposite splice-plates 3 and 4, arranged in proper relation to lie upon the opposite sides of the rails and to serve the function of fish-plates, the said splice-plates being preferably connected by and formed for the base portions of the rail ends. Each plate 3 and 4 is of'angular form and come prises a vertical portion 6 to lie parallel with theweb of the rail and a horizontal portion 7, corresponding in shape to and adapted to extend over the base-flange of the rail and connected at its outer edge to the base-plate 5. The parts 6 and 7'of each plate are joined and strengthened by angular bracing-webs 8, the plate 3 being preferably provided with a plurality of such webs opposite the abutting endsoof the rails and being otherwise similar in general form to the plate 4 except that the brace at one end of the latter is made in the form of a rectangular head 9, provided with a horizontal slot 10, intersecting a similar slot 11 in the adjacent end of the vertical portion 6 of said plate. The outer edges of the two plates are formed with notches 12 for the passage of spikes to fasten the same to the ties, while the vertical portion of the plate 3 is provided with projections 13 to enter openings 14 in the webs of the rails to mutually hold the rails and fastenings from relative IOC splice-plates carried thereby, one of said the head on the splice-plate and locking-plate splice-plates having at one'end a slot and a to secure the wedge in position. [0 head provided with a communicating slot, In testimony whereof I affix my signature a wedge arranged to cooperate With said in presence of two witnesses.

splice-plate and provided at one end with a JOHN E. BEAVER.

Vertical driving-head having a horizontally- Witnesses: projecting locking-plate adapted for inser- BENJAMIN WHEELER, tion in said slots, and a key cooperating with B. F. WHEELER. 

